Minnesota Cream of Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

3-1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup wild rice
1/3 cup sliced onions
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup half and half
1-1/2 cups cut up cooked chicken

Mix broth, carrots, celery, uncooked rice, onions, thyme and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour until rice is tender.  Melt butter, stir in the flour, then the half and half.  Cook and stir 1 minutes,  slowly add half and half mixture to the rice mixture, stirring constantly.  Stir in the chicken and heat through.